Horizontal window blinds



Sept. 13, 1955 H. H. ASHMORE HORIZONTAL WINDOW BLINDS Filed Sept. 29, 1952 INVENTOR 75; a e l 1/ iv W ATTORNEY United States Patent HORIZONTAL WINDOW BLINDS; H H: eshinq e klii adsl h Application September 29; 1952, Serial No. 312,085

4 Claims. 01. 20-42 The object of this invention is to devise a novel horizontal window blind which can be placed in position and removed when desired by unskilled labor.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel frame, a novel construction and arrangement of slats, a novel manner of mounting and operating the slats, and a novel construction and arrangement of reinforcing means.

A further object of the invention is to construct the blinds in such a manner that it will not interfere with the operation of a sky light beneath which the blind is mounted in the skylight shaft or roof opening.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will hereinafter clearly appear, my invention comprehends a novel horizontal window blind.

It further comprehends a novel horizontal window blind having a channel frame carrying the pivots for mounting the slats; a novel construction of slats or vanes, novel reinforcing means and novel means providing for the operation of the sky light when the horizontal window blind is in position.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred form thereof which I have found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited except by the scope of the appended claims to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a perspective view viewed from below of a horizontal window blind, embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with the slats in closed positions.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a locking device.

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing the manner in which a pivot is mounted within a channel.

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of a channel, pivot mounting and slat.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing more particularly the manner in which an end flap of a slat is reinforced.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of another form of pivot mounting for the slats.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings:

The body portion 1 of the horizontal window blind is preferably rectangular in contour and formed of channels at the sides as at 2 and 3 and with end channels 4 and 5, the channels having their open sides presented inwardly. The juxtaposed ends of the side and end chan nels are connected together in any desired manner, and as shown have overlapping portions which may be soldered or welded.

The pivots for the slats are mounted within the side channels in a novel manner. Spacing sleeves 6 contact the inner side wall of a channel and extend into apertures in a plate or strip; 7ragainst which an unapertured plate or strip 8 abuts. A flaugedpivot Q hasa head contacting the strip S and itsish'ank extegdsthroughan aperture 10 in a closure plate. or strip 11. to form apivot for. such slat. The strip Ilis secured, in its channel 2 by having a friction fit therein Qrby brazing, soldering; or. welding.

The slats may all be of the same construction, but-I have preferred to: show difiere'nt formsof'slats 'as-shown at12and-13,.,

The slats 12 have a flat body portion and their marginal end portions are bent at right angles to form end flaps 14 and 15 extending in the same direction and apertured at 16 to receive the pivots 9 for pivotally supporting the slats.

The slat 13 has a body portion and right angle end flaps 17 and 18 apertured at 19 to receive pivots 9. Corners of the end flaps are rounded for clearance.

In order to cause the slats to open and close in unison, bars 20 and 21 are pivoted to them near an upper corner by pivots 22, radially disposed relatively to the pivots 9, grommets being preferably provided for ease of operation. Juxtaposed slats in closed position overlap to a desired extent. The slat 13 is reinforced by angle plates 23 connected by a plate 24, and the angle plates are apertured to receive the pivots 9 and 22.

Pull chains are provided to elfect the opening and closing of the slats. One of the slats 12 has one end extended and folded upon itself for reinforcement and an U shaped strap 25 is connected with it through the folds by a pivot 26 and a pull chain 27 is connected with such strap.

The end flap and its angle plate of slat 13 has a strap 28 pivoted to it at 29 and provided with a pull chain 30.

If it is desired to provide for the opening of a skylight located above the window blind, a channel 31 has downwardly bent ends connected with the end channels and provided with openings 32 through which pull chains from the skylight may extend, and the slats beneath such openings may have cutouts 33 so that the skylight may be actuated when the slats are closed.

The window blind is secured in position by bolts 34 mounted in bushings 35 fixed within the end channels which have cutouts 36 to receive the rods of the bolts. The bushings have conventional slot for movement of the rods. The bolts pass through and are guided in the side channels and are received in bolt receiving openings in the wall of the skylight.

In Figure 8, 1 have shown a simplified form of pivot mounting, wherein a pivot 38 having a head fixed by soldering or welding to a closure plate 39 fixed to the channel 40 by brazing, soldering or welding.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the slats are moved into their open or closed positions by pulling down on the proper pull chain, and that the skylight control can have its pull chains pass through the window blind as herein set forth.

The closure plates for the channels are preferably.

welded or soldered to their channels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a horizontal window blind, a body portion formed by connected side and end channels open at their inner sides, spacers within the side channels, spacing strips apertured to receive the spacers, a second strip inwardly of the spacing strip and covering it, pivots abutting the second strip, a pivot spacing strip through which the pivots pass and closing the open side of a side channel, slats connected to turn in unison and carried by said pivots, and pull chains connected with selected slats to effect their opening and closing movements.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein bolts are mounted in the channels to secure the blind in position, rods secured to the bolts and said channels having open slots to receive said bolts and retain them in locked condition.

3. In a horizontal window blind, a body portion, pivots carried by the body portion, slats having their ends bent at an angle and receiving the pivots, a reinforcement for one of the slats comprising angle plates abutting the end angles and having apertures to receive the pivots, a plate connecting the angle plates, a pull chain connected with one of the slats, and a pull chain connected with the angle plates.

4.' The construction defined in claim 3, wherein a bar connected with the body portion and extending laterally References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,888,522 Ward NOV. 22, 1932 2,153,359 Anderson et a1 Apr. 4, 1939 2,531,499 Brown Nov. 28, 1950 2,632,377 Mader Mar. 24, 1953 

